Charged particle cancer therapy patient constraint apparatus and method of use thereof

Abstract

A patient positioning/constraint apparatus and method of use thereof is described in combination with a charged particle cancer therapy system. In one embodiment, a patient is tilted about a longitudinal axis, such as rotation about a head-to-foot axis of the patient where the head-to-foot axis of the patient is horizontal. Optional side support constraints are optionally used to constrain radial movement of the patient on the tilted patient support. The side support constraints are optionally pre-formed to or coupled to a radially outer shape of an individual patient, such as the dexter or sinister side of the individual's head, arm, torso, hip, and/or leg. Patient tilt is optionally combined with rotation of the patient about a vertical axis, rotation of the entire patient about an axis not overlapped by the patient, and/or dynamic control of angles of incident charged particles directed by beamline magnets of the charged particle therapy system.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for positioning a tumor of a patient for treatment with positively charged particles, comprising:
 a charged particle therapy system, comprising:
 an accelerator configured to accelerate the positively charged particles; and 
 a beamline configured to direct the positively charged particles from said accelerator to the tumor; 
 
 a patient positioning system, comprising:
 a longitudinal support within fifteen degrees of horizontal configured to support the patient in a laying position along a longitudinal axis, said longitudinal support further comprising:
 a back support, said back support further comprising:
 a left side back support; 
 a right side back support; and 
 means for adjusting a distance between said left side back support and said right side back support; 
 
 a dexter side support connected to a first side of said back support; and 
 a sinister side support connected to a second side of said back support; and 
 
 means for tilting said longitudinal support about the longitudinal axis, said means for tilting comprising a motor configured to axially rotate said longitudinal support at least ten degrees about the longitudinal axis, said motor configured to axially rotate a plane of said back support of said longitudinal support at least ten degrees off of horizontal to each side of said longitudinal axis. 
 
 
     
     
       2. A method for positioning a tumor of a patient for treatment with positively charged particles, comprising the steps of:
 accelerating the positively charged particles with an accelerator of a charged particle therapy system; 
 using a beamline to direct the positively charged particles from said accelerator to the tumor; 
 supporting the patient on a longitudinal support, of a patient positioning system, along a longitudinal axis within fifteen degrees of horizontal in a laying position; and 
 tilting said longitudinal support about said longitudinal axis, said step of tilting further comprising the step of:
 orientating a longitudinal patient support surface of said longitudinal support at least ten degrees off of horizontal; 
 
 connecting a dexter side support to a first side of a back support of said longitudinal support; 
 connecting a sinister side support to a second side of said back support, wherein said step of tilting axially rotates said back support of said longitudinal support to at least ten degrees off horizontal; 
 pre-forming said dexter side support to a dexter side of the patient; 
 pre-forming said sinister side support to a sinister side of the patient; and 
 adjusting a distance between said dexter side support and said sinister side support to a width of the patient. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , said step of tilting further comprising the steps of:
 at a first point in time orientating a first axis from a central region through a dexter side of the patient to a sinister side of the patient about perpendicular to a first axis of the positively charged particles from said beamline; and 
 at a second point in time orientating a second axis from the central region through a sinister side of the patient to a dexter side of the patient about perpendicular to a second axis of the positively charged particles from said beamline. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the step of:
 rotating a first rotational platform, positioning the patient, through at least one hundred eighty degrees about a first axis, wherein the tumor does not cross the first axis with rotation of said first rotational platform through the at least one hundred eighty degrees. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the step of:
 at a first point in time, guiding the positively charged particles along a first downward line with a first horizontal vector using a rotatable magnet of said beamline; and 
 at a second point in time, guiding the positively charged particles along a second downward line with a second horizontal vector using said rotatable magnet, the first horizontal vector and the second horizontal vector pointing in opposite directions.